Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



H.. N. SHERMAN.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arms.

N0. 144,872. Patented Nov. 25,1 873.

WITNESSES. JVT EJV'TOR UErrEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY N. SHERMAN, OF BELOIT, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS. I

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 144,872, dated November 25, 1873; application filed June 26, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that I, HENRY N. SHERMAN, of Beloit, in the county of Rock and State of \Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in breech-loading fire-arms; and consists as follows:

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the gun with the barrels thrown up in the position for loading; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section, the barrels being closed in position for firing.

A represents the stock B, the barrels, hinged or pivoted to the stock A at C. To the barrels B, on their under side at the breech, is attached, or forming part of the same, a lug or curved projection, b, which enters the correspondingly-shaped mortise D in the stock. This lug or projection 12 has a small notch, b, in its face. E represents a perpendicular catch spring or bolt, let into and attached to the face of the breech of the stock A. This spring has a slight curvature outward toward its lower end, and engages in the notch b of the lug b on the barrels B, when they are down and in the firing position. The spring E is drawn back out of the notch b by the rod or link and its back-acting trigger e. The action of this catch-spring is, that when the barrels are pressed down in the firing position, the end of the lug 1), coming in contact with the face of the spring, is forced back into the recess made in the stock to receive it, until the notch b comes below the catch, when the catch springs into the notch, and securely holds the barrels in position.

This catch-spring may be a long or short spring, or it may be hinged at the top and forced out by a separate spring, and operated by any approved form of trigger or lever placed in any convenient position on the stock; but I prefer to make the trigger back-acting, and placing it in the trigger-guard, where it is less liable to be operated by accident.

The locking mechanism of breechloading fire-arms, as usually constructed, such as sliding bolts, &c., are very complicated in their construction, requiring a number of different parts, and a great sweep is necessary to throw the bolt; consequently much friction is caused, and the parts wear and are easily injured or broken, and when once broken it is a difficult matter to repair them.

My locking device is very simple and inexpensive, consisting only of three parts--the catch-spring, the trigger, and its rod or linkand they are so simple in their construction and application that they can easily be replaced or repaired; and although very little force or sweep is required to throw the bolt, yet it is not easily displaced by accident, and, because of the very small sweep of the bolt, its operating-trigger may be placed in the triggerguard with the other triggers, or at any other convenient position on the stock.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The spring E,whose free end acts as a catchhead, in combination with the stock A, notched lug b b of the barrels B, and the trigger e, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and'shown.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of June, 1873.

HENRY N. SHERMAN.

Witnesses BENJAMIN F. BERRY, IRA E. GOODALL. 

